Why are associated conditions important?

This issue of Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America focuses on the conditions closely associated with diabetes mellitus. Unlike microvascular complications of diabetes, which are seen exclusively in the setting of diabetes, conditions closely associated with diabetes might be seen independently or in association with this disease, but their prevalence in patients with diabetes exceeds that in the general population. The associated conditions are diverse and include such apparently unrelated syndromes as, for example, coronary artery disease and sleep apnea. However, on closer inspection, many of these have common background characterized by insulin resistance and increased oxidative stress. What is the importance of these conditions? Although not as closely linked to hyperglycemia as the specific complication of diabetes (diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy), the associated conditions contribute greatly to morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes. In fact, heart disease, one such associated condition, continues to be responsible for most of the diabetes-relatedmortality. Therefore, treating these conditions, as well as understanding their pathophysiology and their relationship to diabetes, remains a major challenge. We hope that the current issue summarizes and clarifies the relationship between diabetes and conditions that are closely associated with it. We thank Dr Derek LeRoith, the Consulting Editor, for the opportunity to edit both this issue and the previous issue, “Acute and Chronic Complications of Diabetes.” We also thank all the authors, as well as the editorial staff of Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, for their invaluable contributions.